| Theo Epstein | |
|---|---|
 Epstein in 2010 | |
| General manager | |
| Born: (1973-12-29)December 29, 1973 (age 51) New York City, U.S. | |
| Teams | |
As executive
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Theo Nathaniel Epstein (born December 29, 1973) is an American formerMajor League Baseball (MLB) executive who currently serves as a senior advisor and part-owner ofFenway Sports Group, which owns theBoston Red Sox of MLB andLiverpool F.C. of the EnglishPremier League, among other properties.
In his executive career, Epstein helped to end two of the longestWorld Series droughts in MLB history.[1] In2004, when he was vice president andgeneral manager for the Red Sox, the team won their first World Series championship in86 years. His next job waspresident of baseball operations for theChicago Cubs, who in2016 won their first World Series championship in108 years. After his tenure in Chicago, he joined MLB as a consultant.[2]
Epstein was born to a secularJewish family in New York City and raised inBrookline, Massachusetts.[3][4][5] He graduated fromBrookline High School in 1991,[6] where he played baseball for the Brookline High School Warriors, but dreamed of working for the Red Sox.
Epstein attendedYale University, where he lived atJonathan Edwards College. He served as sportseditor of theYale Daily News. He graduated in 1995 with a degree inAmerican studies. During his time as an undergraduate, he wrote letters to several teams expressing interest in working for them. His letter to theBaltimore Orioles reached team executiveCalvin Hill, a Yale alumnus and head of personnel, who invited him for an interview. Epstein interned for three consecutive summers for the Orioles.[7] Eventually he was hired as thepublic relations assistant for the Orioles.
Epstein then moved withLarry Lucchino to theSan Diego Padres as director of player development. While working for the Padres, he also studied at theUniversity of San Diego School of Law and earned aJuris Doctor degree at Lucchino's suggestion.[8] Epstein based his class selection on which professors seemed to be the most lenient with attendance policies given the Padres' often-late work hours. By studying law, Epstein was invited to take part in high-level negotiations and discussions by then-GMKevin Towers since few in the Padres' small operations division had a legal background to understand contract language.[7] He worked his way up to become the team's director of baseball operations.[9]
After leaving the position as the Padres' President, Lucchino becamepresident andchief executive officer (CEO) of the Red Sox on November 15, 2001[10] and hired Epstein to work under him. At the end of the 2002 season, Lucchino appointed Epstein to replace interimgeneral manager (GM)Mike Port. Epstein is credited with trading awayNomar Garciaparra and acquiringBill Mueller andCurt Schilling,[9] moves that helped break the "Curse of the Bambino" when the Red Sox defeated theSt. Louis Cardinals in the2004 World Series, their first championship since1918.[11]
On October 31, 2005, he resigned, rejecting a three-year, $1.5-million-per-year contract for personal reasons. According toThe Boston Globe, "This is a job you have to give your whole heart and soul to", he said. "In the end, after a long period of reflection about myself and the program, I decided I could no longer put my whole heart and soul into it." As it wasHalloween the night he resigned from the Red Sox, he leftFenway Park wearing agorilla suit in an attempt to avoid reporters.[12] A witness reported spotting a person wearing a gorilla suit driving a Volvo similar to Epstein's that night. The suit was loaned to him and was later auctioned for $11,000. The money raised was given toThe Jimmy Fund and the Foundation to be Named Later (FTBNL).[13]
Epstein remained in contact with the team's front office and in January 2006, he and Red Sox management announced he would return, resuming the role of general manager and adding the title of executive vice president.[14] The Red Sox went on to win the2007 World Series, Epstein's second championship with Boston.[15] In November 2007, Epstein announced, at the annual general manager meeting, that he had signed a new contract with the Red Sox but declined to disclose the terms of the deal.[16]
On October 12, 2011, Epstein agreed to a five-year contract worth $18.5 million with theChicago Cubs.[17] On October 19, 2011, it was reported that Epstein's official title with the Cubs would be president and thatSan Diego Padres general managerJed Hoyer would take the GM position with the Cubs.[18]
On October 23, 2011, he took out a full-page ad inThe Boston Globe, thanking Red Sox fans and the team's owners for their support.[19] Two days later, the Cubs officially introduced Epstein aspresident of baseball operations.[20] The Cubs finished in last place in the National League Central for the first three years of Epstein's presidency, as the focus was to acquire young talent rather than maximize short-term competitiveness.[21] After a three-year rebuild, the Cubs clinched a playoff berth in 2015 and advanced to theNational League Championship Series, where they were swept by theNew York Mets.[22]
Epstein signed an extension with the club on September 28, 2016, with a contract estimated to be worth up to $25 million.[23] The Cubs would proceed to break the so-called "Curse of the Billy Goat" by defeatingCleveland Indians in the2016 World Series, their first championship since1908.[24]
Epstein stepped down from his role on the Cubs on November 20, 2020.Jed Hoyer, Epstein's long-time deputy, took over his position.[25]
In January 2021, MLB hired Epstein as a consultant for "on-field matters".[2] Later that year, he joined private equity firm Arctos Sports Partners.[26]
On February 2, 2024,Fenway Sports Group announced that Epstein would return to the company as a senior adviser, while also joining its ownership group pending MLB approval.[27]
Epstein has atwin brother, Paul, who is a social worker atBrookline High School inBrookline, Massachusetts. He and Paul are co-founders of "The Foundation to be Named Later", established in 2005.[13]
Epstein's grandfather,Philip G. Epstein, and great-uncle,Julius J. Epstein – withHoward E. Koch – wonAcademy Awards for the screenplay ofCasablanca,[13] while his father, novelistLeslie Epstein, headed the Creative Writing Program atBoston University.[28] His mother, Ilene (Gradman), opened a clothing store.[29] Epstein's sister, Anya, is a screenwriter and television producer (Homicide: Life on the Street andTell Me You Love Me).[30]
In 2007, Epstein married Marie Whitney, a Catholic and the founder/creative director of Two Penny Blue.[31][32] The couple have two sons.[33]Boston Globe sportswriterGordon Edes reported that the wedding took place atNathan's Famous hot dog stand atConey Island, then later published a correction, noting that he had fallen for a prank by Theo's father Leslie. The site and actual date of the wedding were never released, but theBoston Herald later reported that the wedding took place on Red Sox ownerJohn Henry's yacht inSaint Thomas.[34][35]
Epstein's "Hot Stove Cool Music" are biannual Boston and Chicago benefit concerts that have raised millions of dollars for the "disadvantaged youth and families" of the respective cities. Before the 2015 event, Epstein said, "We've collectively raised more than $6 million and look forward to increasing that total this year through another great night of music, baseball and giving back."[36]
As a front office executive, Epstein is a three-time World Series champion, winning twice with the Red Sox (2004 and 2007) and once with the Cubs (2016). In 2007, theUnited States Sports Academy named Epstein the recipient of its "Carl Maddox Sport Management Award".[citation needed]
In December 2008,Baseball America named Epstein itsBaseball America Major League Executive of the Year.[37]
In March 2009, the bookTheo-logy: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land was published.[citation needed]
In September 2009, Epstein was namedSporting News Executive of the Decade.[38] At the same time, the Red Sox were namedSporting News Team of the Decade. In December,Sports Illustrated named him MLB'sBest General Manager of the Decade and number 3 on its list of theTop 10 GMs/Executives of the Decade (in all sports).[39]
In November 2016, Epstein was named theSporting News Executive of the Year.[40] Also in November, Epstein won theEsurance MLB Award for Best Executive.[41]
In March 2017, Epstein was announced as Yale's Class Day Speaker.[42]Fortune Magazine also ranked Epstein #1 in their 2017 list of the "World's Greatest Leaders".[43]
In April 2017,Time Magazine named Epstein one of the world's 100 most influential people.[44]
Media related toTheo Epstein at Wikimedia Commons| Sporting positions | ||
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| Preceded by Mike Port (internim general manager) | General Manager for theBoston Red Sox 2002 – 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of Baseball Operations for theChicago Cubs 2011 – 2020 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
